Watch the event

Media Coverage

Program Speakers

Mr. Thurmond Berry was one of many men sentenced in Pennsylvania to life without parole because he was part of a group committing a robbery when a homicide occurred. Mr. Berry and the person who committed the homicide were given the same sentence. Mr. Berry served 39 years in prison before his life sentence was commuted by Gov. Tom Wolf earlier this year. He now lives with family members and receives a small pension from the Veterans Administration.

Kathleen Brown, PhD received her Master’s in Nursing and her PhD in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently an Associate Practice Professor of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing. Kathleen is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, serves as a co-investigator on National Institute of Health and National Institute of Justice funded grants, serves as a consultant on state and national policy making committees, and is well published including several commutation application supplements for inmates serving life that were successful in achieving release from prison.

Philip Candilis, MD, DFAPA, is Director of the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, DC. He holds professorial appointments at George Washington University School of Medicine, Howard University College of Medicine, and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. A former Fellow in Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Candilis completed his residency and chief residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, and his forensic fellowship at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Candilis writes extensively on matters of professional and forensic ethics, and conducts research on informed consent and public sector psychiatry.

Arthur Evans, PhD is the Commissioner of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS). Often hailed as a visionary, Dr. Evans has been recognized nationally for his work in behavioral healthcare policy and the transformation of service delivery systems. In 2015 he was recognized by the White House as an “Advocate for Action” by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2013, he received the American Medical Association’s top government service award in health care, the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service, for his leadership in transforming the Philadelphia behavioral health system, particularly around the adoption of a public health approach.

Annette Hanson, MD is an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland and director of the forensic psychiatry fellowship there. She has more than twenty years of experience in the clinical care of prisoners and correctional mental health administration, and has served as an expert witness in correctional litigation. She has written about suicide prevention and ethical issues in correctional health care.

Bruce W. Herdman, PhD, MBA is Chief of Medical Operations of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. Dr. Herdman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Pennsylvania State University (1969), served as United States Coast Guard officer (1969 - 1973) and earned an MBA in Health Care Administration (1975), Masters in Management (1980) and PhD in Economics (1981) from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Herdman's career in health care administration in Philadelphia includes service as Executive Director of the Mayor's Commission on Health, Senior Vice President for Psychiatric Services at Pennsylvania Hospital, Vice President for Risk Arrangements and Ancillary Services at Independence Blue Cross and Senior Vice President of Provider Network Management at Keystone Mercy Health Plan. Dr. Herdman has served on hospital, FQHC and foundation boards and currently serves on the community advisory boards of WHHY and the Temple University College of Public Health. In 2006 Dr. Herdman joined the Philadelphia Department of Prisons in the newly created position of Chief of Medical Operations. He is responsible for the delivery and quality of the medical, behavioral health and dental services provided to over 30,000 inmates annually.

Michelle Joy, MD is currently a forensic psychiatry fellow at the University of Pennsylvania interested in the intersections between clinical medicine and the humanities.

John K. Northrop, MD, PhD, is Director of Emergency Psychiatric Services and Team Leader of the Serious Mental Illness Team at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also completed his residency, chief residency and forensic fellowship. He maintains a private practice in forensic psychiatry.

Roberto Hugh Potter, PhD is a sociologist whose work history has focused on the organizational intersections among criminal justice, mental health, substance abuse, and public health issues. During his 10 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he was part of the team that developed the unreleased Surgeon General’s Call to Action on Corrections and Community Health. He is co-author of Epidemiological Criminology: A Public Health Approach to Crime and Violence (2013, Jossey-Bass). He received his doctorate in Sociology from the University of Florida.

Stephanie Procell, MA is a clinical psychology doctoral intern at Fielding Graduate University. She is presently completing her internship at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and completed her clinical practicum at Rikers Island New York City Jail. She is a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, with a Masters in Forensic Psychology and Forensic Mental Health Counseling.

Commissioner Ramsey has been at the forefront of developing innovative policing strategies and leading organizational change for the past 24 years. He is an internationally-recognized practitioner and educator in his field, and is the Immediate Past President of both the Police Executive Research Forum and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. He is the only law enforcement professional to have served as President of both prominent organizations at the same time and is the only police professional to receive the Leadership Award from 3 major law enforcement organizations; the FBI National Executive Institute, Police Executive Research Forum and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. In December 2014, following several high profile incidents involving police use of force, President Barack Obama chose Commissioner Ramsey to serve as co-chair of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. In recognition for his contributions to the field of policing and public safety, he has been awarded Honorary Doctorate Degrees from four universities.

John A. Reilly, Jr. Esq. is the Superintendent of the George W. Hill Correctional Facility. GWHCF is a 1,883 bed county jail in Thornton, Delaware County PA. A former prosecutor and court administrator for the 32nd Judicial District, he overseas an operation that provides an array of services to the mentally ill. Mr. Reilly is currently a member of the Delaware County Criminal Justice Advisory Board and a volunteer consultant to Delaware County Cares, a multi- disciplinary panel that addresses a wide range of issues involving the criminal justice system and the treatment of the mentally ill.

Cyndi Rickards, MS, EdD currently serves as the Senior Assistant Dean for Community Engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences and develops and teaches community-based learning courses in the department of Criminology and Justice Studies at Drexel University. She regularly teaches courses within the Philadelphia Prison System and brings together Drexel students and incarcerated students for an Inside-Out course. In partnership with the University’s Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, she co-developed UConnect – an urban extension center model that brings students and community members together to navigate the city’s complex social service system.

Maggie Pruett-Saratan MA, MHP, LPC, CCDPD has a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Seattle University’s Existential, Phenomenological Therapeutic Psychology (EP) Program, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Mental Health Professional. She is also a Certified Co-occurring Disorders Professional Diplomate (CCDP Diplomate), and a Certified Peer Specialist Supervisor. Maggie’s professional background includes working with at-risk youth, and adults with mental health and co-occurring disorders, and forensic involvement. Maggie is currently the Regional Director for Peerstar, LLC in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Dominic Sisti, PhD directs the Scattergood Program for Applied Ethics in Behavioral Health Care and is a fellow of the Leonard Davis Institute. He is an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also holds secondary appointments in the departments of psychiatry and philosophy. His research focuses on philosophical and ethical issues in behavioral health care.

Secretary Gary Tennis is a nationally recognized expert in drugs and alcohol. Tennis is the former chairman of the National Alliance on Model State Drug Laws and he serves on the Board of the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors. In June last year, Tennis received the Exceptional Leadership and Support of Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment award from the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors. Gary Tennis assumed duties as acting secretary of drug and alcohol programs in Pennsylvania on January 20, 2015, and was confirmed by the Senate on May 13, 2015.

Sponsors

The Leonard Davis Institute at the University of Pennsylvania

The Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health FoundationLindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel UniversityThe Scattergood Program for Applied Ethics of Behavioral Health CareThe Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania